Free Book
Congratulations! For a limited time only, you can download the PDF version of my debut novel, Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love, absolutely free! With the regular price of the paperback selling for $9.99, free happens to be 100% off. Please note that this offer will not last forever. All I ask in return is if you enjoy reading my book, please spread the word and tell all of your friends. Writing a review on Amazon and Goodreads would be helpful, too. In case you didn’t know, I’m an indie author looking to get my foot in the traditionally-published door, and as it stands right now, very few people have ever heard of me. With your help, we can change all of that. I honestly believe that people across the country and around the world would benefit from reading my book, if only more people knew about it. And if successful, I’ll be able to write more novels, the kind of novels you love to fall in love with. Thanks for your help and happy reading!
Sebastian Cole
SebastianColeAuthor.com
To download a free PDF copy of Sand Dollar: A Story of Undying Love, please click here.
Sand Dollar Book Giveaway Winners
Posted on October 23, 2012
Congratulations to the 5 winners of my October 22nd Sand Dollar book giveaway:
Patti DelValle
Thelma DiDomenico
D’Avona Stanisic
Ashley Shetterly
Mary Levie
Dana Bokelman
Crystal Herman
Hattie Vojvodich
Janet Silcox
Brenda Silcox
Mary Gilmartin
Renee Stewart
Larry Ulery
Maria Ulery
Carole Vilella
Donna Fosbrink
Barbara Flynn
Laura Philburn
Marianne Beirne
Cianne Morrocco
Nancy Narna
Okay, you caught me. With just 21 people entering the contest on my website, how could I say no?
Donna Marie Taylor’s Review of Sand Dollar at Amazon
Posted on August 21, 2012
Sand Dollar – a very special novel
★★★★★
“Sebastian Cole has written an outstanding debut novel. For those of us who have loved, been disappointed and heartbroken along the way and perhaps let someone we love down will find so very much to relate to in this novel. The characters grip you from the very start. The love story of Robin and Noah is realistic in every single way as along with joy comes heartache. I think Mr. Cole has the capacity to write eloquently what we often feel but cannot adequately express. He has already proven that in this novel. Without giving away too much, the novel brought me to tears and after reading what the author wrote at the end of the novel it was as if someone looked into my soul and wrote emotions I have felt for so many years. This is one of those books I will read and reread through the years. I highly, highly recommend Sand Dollar, this a novel not to be missed.” — Donna Marie Taylor
Sand Dollar Book Giveaway Winners at Goodreads
Posted on July 14, 2012
Congratulations to all the winners of the July 14th Sand Dollar book giveaway at GoodReads:
Shannon Sharp Rutig
Rebecca Halford
Sarah Vestal
Graham Clarke
Brittany Hill
Kim Matlock
Sarah Bulman
Lauren A. Weaver
Lori Strait
Carolyn Cooper
Renée Thébeau
Maria Hatzitolios
Lucy Frohn
Jennifer Fraker
Kristina Circelli
Stephanie Sprinkle
Penny S.
Jan Beck
Haley Hill
Jennifer Metz
Thanks to the 1895 people who entered the drawing. If you’re not one of the winners, please check back again soon for another giveaway. If you’ve read the book, please let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you!
Sebastian
🙂
Twenty-Fourth Chapter: The Three Reasons
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Posted on July 2, 2012
Wearing a navy robe with matching slippers, Noah headed out the front door to fetch the Providence Journal, which was on the front lawn resting up against the For Sale sign. Shuffling back inside, he sat down at the patio table with the newspaper folded under his arm and a cup of coffee in his hand. It was a dreamy summer morning. The air was dry, and there was a light breeze shooting off the bay. Seagulls squawked as they fought over a scrap of food on the beach below. Noah’s coffee was getting cold as he sat there, staring off in the direction of the old lighthouse in the middle of the bay.
Unfolding the Providence Journal and glancing at the date — June 10th, 1997, he tore off the corner with the date printed on it, crumpled it up, and tossed it on the ground before getting up and going inside. Upstairs in his closet, he climbed a wooden stepladder and reached for a box on the top shelf. As he grabbed it, a large manila envelope resting on top of the box fell on his head. Sitting on the bed with the box and the manila envelope, he removed the lid from the box and looked inside. Resting on top was his wedding invitation, the date reading June 10th, 1996.
“It would have been our first wedding anniversary. We never even made it a year. God, I missed her.”
PamelaLA’s Review of Sand Dollar at Amazon
Posted on June 23, 2012
Fabulous!
★★★★★
“Upon finishing the book last night, my husband asked me what I thought of it. The best response I could come up with was, “It was like a plate of spaghetti and meatballs on a crisp fall day.” (And this is coming from an Italian girl!) I love it when you start a book, and within the first few pages you have an immediate sense of the characters, what they look like, their environment, etc. Noah and Robin burst out of the pages- it was great! The story of Sand Dollar went on to tell the lives of these two main characters, past and present. There were many times I wanted to reach into the book and honestly shake Robin, but luckily her character went on to be thoroughly explained, rectifying my need to smack her! The end was a slam dunk; totally unexpected.
There were only 2 slight criticisms that I encountered: One was occasional confusion bouncing back between past and present. The other was how many times Noah’s Ferrari was mentioned. The author is however, a man… So I guess it’s understandable 😉
Beautiful cover, superb writing, completely enjoyable. GREAT READ!” —pamelaLA
Twenty-Second Chapter: The Perfect Storm
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Posted on June 18, 2012
Even the sky was gloomy as Noah sailed by the old, abandoned lighthouse on this cold, raw, November day. He was heavily bundled in a thick wool sweater, down jacket, wool hat, and wool gloves. The cold air added a drab shade of blue to a face reddened by the unforgiving wind. With no other boats out on the white-capped bay, Noah was utterly alone.
“It was as if the life had been sucked out of my body, and there was no happiness in the part of me that was left behind. I thought perhaps I could find God out there on the water, but he was nowhere to be found. I determined he must not exist… because it was just me… all alone.”
Twentieth Chapter: A Casualty Of Words
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Posted on June 11, 2012
Robin and Noah were dining alfresco at Trattoria Simpatico in Jamestown as a jazz trio played instrumental music under an old beech tree in the background. The waiter removed an empty bottle of Pinot Grigio from the table and walked away.
“What’s wrong?” Noah asked, watching Robin push the roasted potatoes around her plate. “You barely touched your food.”
“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Like what?”
“It’s no big deal. I was just thinking about what my shrink said to me the other day, that’s all,” she said, looking away.
“And… what did he say?”
“Nothing really. Just talked about fairy tales.”
Noah took a sip of wine. “I just don’t understand you lately,” he said, setting the glass down. “Ever since we got back from our honeymoon, you seem distant for some reason. Did I do something wrong?”
“No, you didn’t do anything. I told you, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“You used to love going out on the boat, and you haven’t gone out on it with me once since we got back. For that matter, you won’t even hang out on it with me at the dock.”
“You spend too much time on that thing as it is.”
“The boat’s not a bad thing, you know. You treat it like it’s some kind of other woman.”
“Look, just because you named your expensive yacht after me doesn’t mean I have to like it, okay?”
Noah looked at her, puzzled. “And every time I walk up to you to show you the least bit of affectionate, you walk away. You’re never interested in making love anymore. It’s not so much about the sex as it is about expressing our love for each other in a way that only intimacy can achieve. So what’s bothering you? Is it me? Is there anything I can do to help?”
Robin hesitated, took a deep breath, and spoke. “Yeah, there is something you can do to help…”
Eighteenth Chapter: The Curse Of Jean Pierre
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Posted on May 28, 2012
A small island-hopper plane took off from the Saint Maarten airport. It offered one seat on each side of the aisle, a cabin not tall enough to stand up in, and no flight attendant. A white Igloo cooler filled with soft drinks was secured in the cabin for those thirsty enough to dare unbuckle in flight.
As the plane approached the neighboring island, it began its descent. Without a cockpit door, Noah and Robin held onto each other tightly as they watched the pilots fly the small aircraft downward at a steep 45-degree angle just above the treetops of the mountainous terrain. Noah wondered where the horizon had gone as the runway — growing ever so large by the second — filled the entire forward view through the front windshield. At the last possible moment, the plane leveled off and touched down. As the plane raced down the short runway, the brakes were applied, and the plane started slowing down, coming to a stop at the very end, where two topless women walked in front of the plane on a white sand beach.
“Bienvenue à Saint-Barth,” the pilot announced proudly as the plane veered right, heading toward the small terminal. “Welcome to Saint Barts !”
Sixteenth Chapter: A Shack In The Woods
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Posted on May 21, 2012
Forty-nine-year-old Brittany walks into my hospital room and joins Scott, Sharon, and Josh around my bed.
“Thanks for coming, Britt,” I say appreciatively.
“This is little Brittany?” Josh exclaims, surprised. “Wow, she sure turned into a beautiful woman, didn’t she?”
Brittany places her hand gently on my face and looks deep into my eyes with her warm, loving eyes. I return the sentiment.
“How’s your mom doing?” Scott asks her.
“I just left her room,” she says, looking over at Scott. “Olivia’s still there with her now. When she and Noah arrived in the ambulance, she was hysterical. The doctor had to sedate her twice just to calm her down.”
“Is Robin okay? What happened?” I ask, concerned.
“She’s okay now,” Brittany says, moving my hair away from my eyes and mouthing the words I love you to me. “She’s resting comfortably. Besides, she’s much better off not knowing what’s about to happen to Noah,” she says, looking back at Scott.
“Britt, what are you talking about? What’s about to happen to me? Can’t I just go home?”
Thirteenth Chapter: The Company He Keeps
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Posted on May 7, 2012
The phone was ringing off the hook as Noah lay motionless on the bed. Rosa walked into the bedroom and answered the phone on the nightstand. “Hello. Oh, hi, Mr. Hartman. Yes, Noah’s here, but he no want to talk right now. He knows it’s been two weeks since he’s been to work. He knows the budgets are past due. Okay, I tell him. Bye, Mr. Hartman.” No sooner had she hung up the phone than it rang again. “Hello. Oh, hi, Mrs. Hartman. No, Noah no want to come for dinner tonight. He still no feel good. Okay, I tell him. Bye, Mrs. Hartman,” she said, hanging up and leaving the room. The phone rang again, and Rosa could be heard speaking down the hall. “Hello. Oh, hi, Scott. No, Noah no want to talk right now. Okay, I tell him…”
“My life was not the same without Robin in it. I was depressed, and nothing could make me happy — nothing except for Robin, that is.”
Eleventh Chapter: The North Star
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Posted on April 30, 2012
“It was great sailing weather that summer, and I got to spend time with my two loves — Robin and Freedom. Now what could better than that?”
As long as you had a boat, there was always plenty to do on Narragansett Bay during the summer months in the Ocean State. Noah’s sailboat was one of a thousand boats anchored off the Quonset Point Air Force Base for the annual air show. Brittany was wearing a purple life preserver, trying to follow the dazzling display of aeronautics through a pair of oversized binoculars. Noah took a picture of Robin blowing a kiss to him just as The Blue Angels flew by with a thunderous roar.
UPDATE: Sand Dollar eBook Now Available for Kindle
Posted on April 25, 2012
Sand Dollar is now available for sale on Amazon for Kindle devices.
The price is just 99 cents.
Click here to visit Sand Dollar’s page on Amazon.
To see the full list of online retailers, click here.
Ninth Chapter: Meet The Parents
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Posted on April, 23, 2012
A valet driver opened the door to Noah’s Ferrari convertible as it pulled up in front of Capriccio restaurant in downtown Providence. Inside the elegant Italian restaurant, the ambiance was warm and charming, with a cobblestoned floor, columns with decorative moldings, and tables glowing under candlelight. The pianist at the baby grand was playing The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra as Noah, holding a small gift bag, walked over to the alcove where Scott, Sharon, Miriam, and Jerry were sitting.
“Happy birthday, Mom,” Noah said, kissing his mother’s cheek.
“Come here for a second,” she said, motioning for him to duck down.
Noah grimaced, lowering his head as Miriam proceeded to lick her hand and pat his hair down. As a tuxedoed waiter approached, Noah pulled away and sat down at the empty seat beside his brother. As the waiter made his way around the table with a bottle of Dom Pérignon, he poured Champagne into everyone’s glasses.
Seventh Chapter: Great Expectations
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Posted on April 14, 2012
With a fresh coat of polish, Noah’s immaculate 1966 Ferrari pulled into Hartman Enterprises behind a beat-up, blue Mustang convertible, also a 1966 model. Noah followed the Mustang to the back corner of the lot and parked next to it. The driver, wearing a navy maintenance uniform, got out of the car and opened the trunk.
“Hey, Mike, I didn’t know you drove a classic,” Noah said, shutting his door.
“Hey, Noah,” the man replied, closing his trunk and putting a tool belt around his waist. “Yeah, that’s because I almost never drive it. I only take it out a couple times a year, just to air it out.”
“Sweet ride,” Noah said, peeking inside the Mustang. “I like the Pony seats.”
“The chassis is kind of beat up — not refurbished like yours.”
“What are you talking about? She’s a beaut,” Noah exclaimed, walking around the car, checking it out. “Besides, I don’t look at the outside so much as I do the inside. That’s where the real beauty is,” he said, stopping at the front of the car. “Do you mind?” he said, pointing at the hood.
Cover Design
Posted on March 31, 2012
Sand Dollar’s cover was designed by Daniel Middleton from Scribe Freelance.
He did a great job with the fonts, colors, and overall design. I was very pleased with his formatting of the interior too, turning asterisks into little sand dollars!
Click on image for a larger view
Fourth Chapter: Life Before Robin
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Posted on March 29, 2012
“Rachel was a complainer,” I explain to Josh, continuing with the story, “always complaining about one thing or another. She complained that I was shallow and self-centered. She complained I never listened to her, especially when it came to having enough chutzpah to stand up to my parents. Let’s see, what else… Oh yeah, she complained I was materialistic and loved my boat more than I loved her. Maybe she was right — I don’t know. In any case, it didn’t matter anymore because my lawyer had called to tell me that my divorce from Rachel was now final, and I could start dating again. But finding the right woman was going to be quite the challenge. I needed to find someone that would love me for me and not for my money. And with Internet dating, finding the right match soon became a full time job.”
“So I started with the Jewish pile first, not because it was important to me, but because it was important to THEM — my parents.
“What was important to me?” I say, repeating Josh’s question. “That’s easy… LOVE.”
Third Chapter: Priorities
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Posted on March 22, 2012
“It was four years before that incident in Saint Barts with the sand dollar,” I tell Josh. “I had everything a man could possibly need — or so I thought. The year was 1992 and the place was Jamestown, Rhode Island…”
High on top of a hill rising up from a private, sandy beach sat a gray, shingled Nantucket-style house with six bedrooms, three balconies, and a large deck overlooking the mouth of Narragansett Bay. Scaffolding flanked the house on two sides. Thirty-five-year-old Noah stepped out onto the back deck wearing jogging shorts, a tank top, and running shoes, the sun just moments away from rising over the tranquil sea. He jogged down the numerous wooden steps leading to the beach below and along the vacant shoreline. Seagulls flew out of his way as small waves broke gently against an orange background.
The sun was shining as he made his way back to the house, running by a sand dollar sticking up in the sand, undetected.
sebastiancoleauthor.com 